1. to convert (an acid and an alcohol) into an ester, typically through a chemical reaction
Usage: chemistry term; transitive verb

Examples

• The chemist will esterify the fatty acid with ethanol to produce an ester.
• When you esterify acetic acid and methanol, you get methyl acetate.
• The reaction esterifies the carboxylic acid in the presence of a catalyst.
• Fats are formed when glycerol is esterified with long-chain fatty acids.
• To esterify the compound, heat and an acid catalyst are required.